Music-indicator.



PATBNT'BD 00T. 1o, 1905.

J. MAGMASTER. MUSIC INDICATOR.

APPLIQATIQN HLED JAN.14, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

PATENTED 00T. 10, 1905. J. MAGMASTER.

MUSIC INDICATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN.14, 1905.

PATENTBD OCT. l0, 1905. J. MAGMASTER.

MUSIC INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.14, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

@ Aw A@ UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE.

JAMES MACMASTER, OF DALLAS, TEXAS, ASSIONOR TO INTERNATIONAL OONSERVATORY OF MUSlO, (INCORPORATED) OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

MUSIC-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Application led January 14,1905. Serial No. 241,103.

T0 LU rif/"110711, t Hefty concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES MAGMASTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas,have invented a new and useful Music-Indicator, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is in the nature of an improvement on a structure set forth in a prior patent granted to me on December 24, 1889, No.l 417,734.

The object is to provide a simple structure of a novel nature that can be easily and cheaply manufactured, readily applied to a piano or other keyed musical instrument, will properly indicate the various chords, notes, scales, and the like, and is not subject to disagreeable rattling noises, an objection arising in some of the devices constructed in accordance with the original patent to which reference has been made. v

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pianokeyboard, showing the preferred embodiment of the improved structure in place thereon. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the base with the key-tables and support therefor detached. Fig. 4 is a View in front elevation of one of the keytables-namely, that for the major scale-the same being shown on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 8. Fig. 7 is a view in front elevation of the minor-scale key-table, the same being' also shown on an enlarged scale. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modified form of construction, the key-tables being removed therefrom. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view through the tables and table-support. Fig. 1() is a similar crosssectional view taken on the line 10 10 of Fig. 8.

Similar reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the iirst embodiment illustrated a basebar 7 is employed, the greater portion of which is triangular in cross-section, a block 8 being secured on one end, thus leaving an inclined face 9 extending the greater part of the length of the base. Said base is provided with a pair of longitudinally-disposed slots 10,

extending through the same from the upper face 9 to the under face, the lower portions of these slots being enlarged` as shown at 11 in Figs. 2 and 5. A strip 12, constituting' a scale-table support, is longitudinally slidable upon the upper face 9 of the base and carries headed retaining-screws or fastening devices 18, the Shanks of which slidably pass through the slots IO, the heads 14 being located in the enlarged portions 11. These enlarged portions and said heads are covered by a cushioning-pad 15, of felt or other material, glued or otherwise suitably secured to the under face of the base and extending the entire length of the same.

The outer or exposed face ofthe supportingstrip 12 carries what may be termed keytables 12, each comprising a sheet on which are suitably printed or otherwise marked a series of suitably-designated differently-colored characters, which may be explained by rules or instructions for the use of the device and which it is thought to be unnecessary to set out in full, the same being clear to those skilled in the art. Suiiice it to state that one is employed forindioating the major and the other the minor scale, either or both being' detachable. They are held in place by suitable thumb-screws 16, passing through the ends of the sheets and threaded into the supporting-strip 12. The different characters include suitable pointers 16, which are located directly above the keys that the characters indicate when the instrument is being used.

Upon the block 8 is another scale 17, extending' the length of one octave and showing the signatures of the various keys contained therein. This scale may be termed the key indicator or finder scale and is divided into an upper section containing the key-signatures and a lower section containing the explanation thereof. A pointer-stem 18, secured to the adjacent end of the key-table support l2, extends longitudinally in a slot 19 in the base and has an upturned terminal 20, operating in a slot 21 in the block 8 between the sections of the scale 17 said terminal carryingl a double pointer 22, that coacts with both of said scale-sections.

Still another feature of the invention resides in a scale 23, located on the outer inclined face 9 of the triangular portion of the base IOO and at the end adjacent to the key indicator or iinder scale. This latter scale Q3 is adapted to be covered and uncovered by the key- 'table support, and thus no matter what position said support is in the instrument will have a continuous scale from one end to the other.

In use the device is placed upon the black keys of the piano or other musical instrument with the key signature or inder scale properly located over the keys of an octave. Thus by adjusting the key-table support and the tables carried thereby it will be evident that various chords, scales, and notes in different keys can be ascertained and played with ease and expedition.

It will be evident that the structure is simple, the parts can be easily manufactured and readily assembled, the device placed upon an instrument and removed without trouble, and there is no rattling between the elements, partly because of their construction and partly because of the cushion interposed between the same and the keys, which cushion also serves as a covering for the slots' and headed fasteners. It will of course be understood that either the major or minor key-tables may be employed, as desired, the removal of one eX- posing the other. l

A slightly different form of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 8, 9, and 10. In this embodiment the base is dispensed with, and the linder-scale-supporting block 7 is adjustably associated with the key-table-supporting block 8 by means of slide-rods 9, secured to one of the supports-as, for instance, 7 --and sliding in the other. The bottoms of the two supports are cushioned by means of felt or analogous strips 10. The key-{inder-scale support 7 is provided with an upper scalesection 11, containing the key-signatures, and a lower section 12, containing an explanation thereof, these two sections being separated by a longitudinally-disposed slot 141. The table-support 7 is adapted to have placed thereon the usual major and minor scale strips 12, secured in place by thumb-screws 15 As in the preceding embodiment, the tablesupport carries a longitudinally-disposed stem 17, which operates longitudinally in the supporting-block 8 and has an upturned terminal 18 operating in the slot 14, being also provided with a double pointer 19, that coacts with the scale 11 13. lt will be clear that in this structure practically the same advantages are secured, and while the iirst-mentioned device is considered preferable in certain respects the latter is capable of being used, particularly on an organ, where the stops projecting above the keys are so low that the structure illustrated in the iirst seven iigures could not be placed beneath said stops.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing 'from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device ofthe character described, the combination with a support having a keyinder scale thereon, of a key-table support adjustable toward and from the' scale-support, an indicator coacting with the key-iinder scale a plurality of key-tables, and means for detachably securing one of the tables on the table-support.

2. In a device ot' the character described, the combination with a support having a keyiinder scale thereon, of a key-table support adjustable toward and from the scale-support, an indicator coacting with the key-linder scale and connected to the table-support, and thumbscrews for detachably securing' the key-tables in place upon the table-support.

3. In a device of the character described, the

combination with a supporting-block having a key-linder scale thereon, of a key-table-supporting block, adjustable connections between the blocks to permit their relative movement toward and from each other, a pointer secured to the table-supporting block and coacting with the scale, strips having major and minor scale indicators thereon, said strips being adapted to be placed upon the table-supporting block, and means for securing said strips thereon.

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a key-iinder scale having a slot, of a key-table adjustable with respect to the scale, a stem projecting longitudinally from one end of the table and having an olfset terminal operating in the slot of the scale, and a pointer carried by said otfset terminal and operating over the scale.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a key-iinder scale comprising sections, one of said sections having keysignatures, the other having the explanations of said signatures, said scale being' provided with a longitudinal slot between thesections, of a key-table support adjustable toward and from the scale, a pointer coacting with both sections of the scale, and a connection between the support and pointer, said connection operating in the slot.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with a block provided with a long'itudinally-disposed slot and a key-inder scale located thereon, said scale comprising sections located on opposite sides of the slot, of a keytable-supporting block, adjustable connections between the blocks, a stem carried by one end of the table-supporting block and having' an IOD IIO

ISO

oifset terminal operating in the slot, and a table-pointer carried by said offset stem and operating over the sections of the scale.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with a base having an under face, said base also having a slot extending from its upper to its under face, of a key-table support slidably mounted on the upper face of the base, a headed fastener carried by the table-support and slidably located in the slot, a cushioning-pad secured to the under face of the base and covering the slot and head of the fastener, said pad being arranged to rest directly on the black 'keys of the musical instrument, and a key linder or signature scale for indicating the position of the table.

8. In adevice of the characterdescribed, the combination With a base havinga portion triangular in cross-section, said portion being provided With a longitudinally-disposed slot extending from its upper to its under face, of a key-table support slidably mounted on the upper face of the triangular portion of the base, a headed fastener carried by the tablesupport and slidably located in the slot, a cushioning-pad secured to the under side of the base and extending' from end to end thereof, said pad covering the slot and the head of the fastener and being arranged to rest directly upon the black keys of a musical instrument, a key iinder or signature scale Jfor indicating the position of the table, said scale being located at one end of the base, a stem carried by the table-support and extending longitudinally of the finder or signature scale, and a pointer carried by the stem and operating longitudinally over the scale.

9. In adevice of the character described, the combination with a base having a portion of its upper face inclined, said base being a1'- ranged to rest directly on the black keys of a musical instrument, of a key finder or signature scale located on the base at one end of the inclined face, another scale located on the inclined face directly adjacent to the finder or signature scale, a key-table support slidable on the inclined face and movable to cover and uncover the scale thereof, and a pointer carried by the table-support and coacting with the linder or signature scale.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiXed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES MAOMASTER.

Witnesses:

IsRAEL DREEBEN, J. S. PULLIAM. 

